Chapter Twenty-Seven

Armand finally gets a chance to clean up, eat and rest.

    It was more questions and more questions. I was soon feeling exhausted. I could see Miss Feather was feeling exhausted as well by the way she was drooping.

    Mr. Thunder was holding up better or at least he was looking like he was.

    I was just desperate for a good meal of raw, cubed fresh bloody meat and a nice glass of very cold water then I wanted to sleep. But a good hot shower would have to be first to get rid of that lingering smell on me from being in that odd part of the forest so long. I was certain Miss Feather and Mr. Thunder were both feeling the same as I was.

    I finally had to say something. All this questioning, most of it after a while was just repeating the same questions just asking them in many different ways, was getting to be way too much to endure anymore. I stood up and said, “Come on! Please! We’re hungry and exhausted! We need showers! You know everything there is to know that we know about those people and where they live in the forest. Have some mercy and let us eat and rest! We’ve had a very long and tiring experience, very stressful!”

    All talking and questions stopped.

    “I’m sorry sweetie.” Mom said after a moment or two of silence.

    “You’re right Armand.” said Moonshine, Miss Feather’s Wolf Mom. “We’ll take our Wolf Daughter home now and take care of her.”

    Moonshine and Mr. Grey, Miss Feather’s Wolf Father, stood. He helped Miss Feather to her feet. I noticed she had a look of profound relief on her face. She glanced at me. “See you later Armand.” She said with a shy smile.

    “Yes you will.” I said back.

    “We’ll need to talk about these half wolf half human people a lot more. Mr. Stonevalley’s Pack will need to be included as Quetzal is involved in all this.” Dad said to the others as they moved toward the door.

    “Let us all get our Wolf Children taken care of then we’ll be back to create a plan on how to handle this situation.” Mr. Grey said.

    “Sounds good.” Dad said.

    Mr. Thunder’s Wolf Parents agreed to this as well.

    “You need to shower.” Mom said to me after everyone was gone. “That smell…it’s just a bit too much.”

    “More than too much.” I said and got to my feet and headed to the bathroom.

    “I want to meet those half wolf and half human people.” Mr. Hunter said.

    I turned to face him. “Not really Mr. Hunter. You and Miss Starfire don’t get any foolish notions about them. They weren’t all that nice. Look at what they did to Quetzal. I may truly have lost a friend because of them.”

    Miss Starfire and Mr. Hunter stared at me a moment.

    Miss Starfire looked at Mr. Hunter. “He’s right. Let’s not go look for them.”

    “You better not!” I exploded.

    “You two stop that line of thinking!” Mom said, her voice a mixture of anger and fear. “Those individuals sound dangerous. Don’t you, either of you, go into the forest until they are dealt with!”

    I could see the disappointed look on Mr. Hunter’s face. I frowned. I didn’t want him getting into trouble.

    “I won’t go there Mom.” Miss Starfire said.

    Mom smiled at her. “I know you won’t.” Then she looked at Mr. Hunter, obviously not too sure about him.

    “I won’t either.” Mr. Hunter said.

    I was sure he meant it. At least at the moment. Sighing a little with relief for now I went into the bathroom to shower.

    “I’ll get your meal ready Armand.” Dad said before I closed the door.

    “Thanks.” I called back to him.

    After I took a long shower, as hot as I could stand it then a little bit hotter, scrubbing fiercely to get that cold deadness smell removed from my body, I emerged from the bathroom dressed in clean fresh smelling black clothing.

    I sniffed appreciatively at the tasty smell of raw cubed freshly killed bloody meat coming from the kitchen and zoomed straight there.

    Dad and Mom were in the kitchen but the twins were no where in sight. They were not even in the house.

    “Hi sweetie.” Mom said. She was sitting at the kitchen table. Dad was just setting a glass of cold water beside a wooden bowl filled with my meal.

    I felt my hunger surge at that moment and sat down and started eating.

    It had been a long time since my last meal.

    Dad sat down across from me.

    Before I was finished chewing one cube of meat I stuck another in my mouth and started chewing again.

    How good it tasted, this raw freshly killed bloody meat!

    “Mr. Stalker has gone to Mr. Stonevalley’s Village to inform him of this situation and to check on Quetzal.” Dad said.

    I looked at him while I chewed and swallowed, then I took a long drink of the icy cold water. “I don’t know Dad. I don’t think talking to Quetzal is such a grand idea.”

    “Why not sweetie?” asked Mom.

    I stared into her radiant green blue eyes a moment before answering. “Because of the way he was behaving. Plus the fact he didn’t want to leave Shasta’s side. It could all be because of the spell she placed on him. Perhaps she didn’t really remove it. Maybe there’s something else going on with him. Something isn’t right with him, anyway.”

    “Humph.” Dad said. “Maybe Quetzal has fallen for her female charms.”

    “She’s not so nice.” I said, sticking another chunk of raw cubed meat into my mouth.

    The daylight was waning. Long dark shadows were stretching across the Village. The moon was huge as it started its journey across the darkening sky.

    The Wolf People of the Village were pretty active outdoors right now with the weather being warm and the sunlight periods being at their longest.

    I easily picked out Miss Starfire and Mr. Hunter’s voices out of the many other voices of the Village.

    “Well, Quetzal’s behavior sounds so negative. It can’t be coming from a positive place.” Mom said.

    “Love isn’t always positive, is it Mom?” I asked.

    “Not if that love isn’t returned.”  She answered me.

    “I don’t think Shasta returns Quetzal’s love.” I said with my mouth full.

    Mom frowned at me. I finished chewing and swallowing. I knew she didn’t like it when anyone talked with their mouth full.

    “Mr. Stonevalley will be coming here so we can discuss this. I asked Mr. Stalker to request Quetzal’s presence along with his parents.” Dad said.

    “I hope Cerise comes too.” Mom said.

    I sighed and continued eating. I had a feeling it wasn’t at all going to go over well with Quetzal.

    And I was worried about Mandie and Joshie. I hoped they had left the area and returned home.

    I really desperately needed a long long sleep.

Reviews

I've had that feeling before. The one where people don't stop with the questions that you already answered... Armand had every right to act the way he did, and I'm not surprised that he did.
Nice Chapter! Looking forward to finding out what they do about the hybrid people.

[Black Cat Fever]

The pressure is on. I can just feel it! The twins have really caused a mess, mostly for themselves. Must read on!!!!

[Star Wolf]

The pressure is on!

[trish420]

So eventful! At least now everything is out in the open and the "kids" aren;t in this on their own anymore. Hopefully that fact will help Quetzal come back to reality.... can't wait to find out what they decide to do!